The 500 - #268 - Paul Simon (Self-titled)- Paul Simon

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #268

Album Title: Paul Simon

Artist: Paul Simon

Genre: Folk Rock infused with other musical styles

Recorded: Four Studios in U.K., U.S.(2) & Jamaica

Released: January, 1972

My age at release: 6

How familiar was I with it before this week: Somewhat

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, at #425, dropping 157 places

Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard

Album cover for Simon's self-titled release.

The self-titled record from singer, songwriter, guitarist and actor Paul Simon was his second release. However, it was the first album he recorded after splitting from long-time collaborator Art Garfunkel whom he had known since sixth grade. The duo recorded five studio albums during their time together which included more than 20 singles, including their number one hits The Sound of Silence, Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Boxer and Mrs. Robinson -- from the soundtrack to the Oscar-nominated 1967 film The Graduate.

Movie poster for The Graduate

Simon's first solo release, The Paul Simon Songbook was released in 1965, following multiple visits to England to play coffee houses and small venues. He recorded the album at Levy's Recording Studio in London, with only a single microphone for his voice and guitar. The album contained early versions of many songs, including I Am A Rock and The Sound Of Silence, which would later be re-recorded with Garfunkel.

Album cover for Paul Simon's Songbook

The split between Simon and Garfunkel occurred in 1970, shortly after they released their best selling album, Bridge Over Troubled Waters (#52 on The 500). The recording of that album was difficult as the relationship between the pair had become acrimonious. At the urging of Simon's first wife, Peggy Harper, he made the decision to break from Garfunkel in the spring of 1970. Although they reunited to perform together many times over the next four decades, this would mark the start of Simon's commercially and critically successful solo career.

Simon and Garfunkel - a troubled partnership

This got me thinking about times when I made important splits in my life and risks that paid off.

In 1997, I quit my job as a bartender at Jack Astors' Restaurant when I found out that I had an interview at Garlic's Restaurant. Not a job. An interview. I disliked working at Jack Astors' enough to understand I needed a change and was confident of landing the Garlics' gig. I did and worked there for 12 years, making friendships that continue to this day.

In 2016, I applied for a position as an Instructional Coach with my school board. This meant leaving the classroom to work with other teachers at six schools. The professional growth I experienced during my two years in this position made me a better educator.

Another significant change was my January, 2018, decision to switch the direction of my blog from education-based posts to documenting my journey through The 500. Not only did it provide me with a different weekly topic (something I was missing when I wrote exclusively about education), it has also helped generate meaningful connections.

I have enhanced my relationships with more than a dozen friends, acquaintances and students who were willing to guest blog for me. In the case of my friend Claudio, who passed away in December, 2021, his two guest-posts serve as a digital memorial to the friendship we built discussing music over the decade I knew him. I've re-read them many times, missing his presence.

Promoting my blog through social media has helped build a loyal readership and has connected me with a smart, kind and supportive network. Like-minded, musical adventurers who read, respond to and promote my posts weekly, include:

• Denise K a Southern Californian of my generation, who shares stories and excellent music suggestions with me weekly.
• TJ Gillespie from Philadelphia, who reposts my blog along with his favourite line or idea from that post.
• James Cornelius, a fellow Rush fan, who microblogs through Twitter about the music he loves always reposts my efforts.
• Doug Peterson and Stephen Hurley who host a weekly podcast called This Week In Ontario Edublogs. On a half dozen occasions, they have discussed my 500 blog posts, amplifying my voice to other educators.
• Author Shana Hartman, a long time supporter of the blog who provided me with early access to her Young Adult Science Fiction novel, The Sentinels Vs. The Night Crawlers, so I could read it with my Grade 7 class.
• Fellow music blogger and podcaster, Various Artists, who read all 200 of my blog posts when he discovered them in the summer of 2022. He interviewed me about this journey last month and it will be released in an upcoming podcast. His My Life In Concerts website is a wealth of fascinating stories and pictures.
• Fellow Canadian Eamon O'Flynn, who is also working his way through the 2020 edition of The 500 on his podcast, Record Roulette. 
  

Above is a graphic I show to my students every year to encourage them to take risks in the learning process in our classroom. However, I also show it to remind myself that, like Simon leaving Garfunkel, can lead to opportunities that one might otherwise miss. We shouldn’t settle for merely being content, even if things seem to be going well.